Quest

My girlfriend Sonaa gets bored very easily. I really do not know
when we will get married. But we sometimes believe that we are made for
each other. Now don't laugh, we are a little old-fashioned. We meet
every Sunday and that, is becoming a problem. We have met in parks of
all kinds. We have visited the zoo. We have tried the radio and
television stations. We have gone to all kinds of restaurants. We have
studied the stars at the planetarium. We have gone shopping at the
various malls. We have gone to nightclubs and lounge bars. We have even
spent time at National Library. Indeed there is no problem on my side.
I can meet her just about anywhere, even in her own house or the
roadside. But Sonaa gets bored. Last Sunday we had gone to a water
park. It was great fun, getting wet and falling into the water and all
that. But Sonaa was not too pleased. In fact she twice fell asleep
while still in the water. I had to try hard to wake her without
disturbing others. Now, enough is enough. Have you ever heard of
anybody who falls asleep in water? While driving back I directly asked
her what the matter was.
Sonaa shot back tartly, "If you take me to a boring place next Sunday I
will have to seriously think about a new boyfriend." Having said this
she dozed off and began snoring. Now, would you marry a girl who
snores? Before marriage? I woke her up immediately and asked, "You will
have to tell me very clearly where you want to go the next time." Sonaa
smiled an evil, scheming smile and purred, "Yes, yes, why not." I began
to play some loud, disturbing music on the car stereo while Sonaa went
back to sleep.
The first call came the next morning. Sonaa sounded very excited.
"Arin, Arin, Arin. You don't know what I am going to tell you." I was a
little nervous. I stammered, "I hope you don't want me to do something
bad." "Of course I don't." Sonaa said. She continued, "I have finalised
where we will go next Sunday. If you want to remain my boyfriend you
will have to take me there. Now, listen Arin, this place has to be
round in shape. It must be full of light at day and night. At least one
hundred thousand people should be able to watch us at any time of the
day." I was very very scared now. I said, " I suppose this place has a
name." "Of course, it does you fool." Sonaa scolded. "And you have to
find it." I kept on screaming, "Hello, hello" many times. But Sonaa had
put the phone down at the other end. In the next three days there were
similar calls from her. I was repeatedly warned that she would stop
going out with me. I was advised that if I wanted the best girl in
Calcutta(that's Sonaa) to become my wife there was only one thing to
do. I HAD to take her to that special place next Sunday. If I did not
she would never see my face again. And I would also have to return the
many detective novels I had borrowed from her. Some more qualities of
the special place had been identified by Sonaa. It needed to have
thirty-two gates. Men on horses had to surround it at all times. And
the parking area had to accommodate five thousand cars. I was too
shocked to react. How could I ever find a place in Calcutta that had
all these qualities. I read books on the city. I pored over numerous
travel guides. I spoke to elderly relatives. I asked questions about
any place which had the qualities that Sonaa had severally mentioned.
But it was all in vain. And then, it happened. I was watching a
programme on cricket on television. I had, in fact, fallen asleep. The
roar of a jubilant crowd hit my ears and I woke up, suddenly. It was
then that I got the brainwave.
I picked up Sonaa from her house next Sunday at the scheduled time. As
we drove towards our destination I looked at her and smiled my best
smile. I began speaking,"Well, Sonaa you want to go to a place which is
round in shape. You want a hundred thousand people to watch you. You
also want a lot of light during day and night. You wish that the place
should have thirty-two gates. Men on horses should be on guard and
there should be parking space for five thousand cars. There is only one
place in Calcutta where you can find all these things together. And we
are going there." Sonaa pretended to be deaf. In fact, she began
fanning herself with her bag. About ten minutes later we arrived at the
place that had all the qualities that Sonaa sought. Eden Gardens,
Calcutta. It is one of the biggest cricket stadiums in the world. Hence
it is round in shape. A hundred thousand people can sit here at any
time. There are massive, powerful floodlights installed which enable it
to be brightly lit even after the sun sets. Policemen on horseback
protect the stadium at all times. The stadium has thirty two gates and
there is a lot of parking space. As we, Sonaa and I, walked towards the
club-house I said to her chivalrously, "Where are we going next
Sunday?" Sonaa ignored me completely and ran towards a well-known
cricketer whom she had just spotted. To think, I want to actually marry
this girl!